Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta waits on the throw as Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen steals second during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Monday, May 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta connects for a single to left field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Detroit, Monday, May 27, 2013. Peralta had four hits to lead Detroit over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

DETROIT -- If not for the guy in the locker next to him, Jhonny Peralta might be the quietest guy on the Detroit Tigers roster.

Sometimes that's good, if you'd rather not be noticed.

Sometimes that's bad, if you deserve to be noticed, and aren't.

Like his double-play partner -- and next-door neighbor in the locker room -- Omar Infante, Peralta's start to the season has gone very much unnoticed.

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Much like Peralta himself.

That season just got better with Monday's 4-for-4 game against the Pirates, in which Peralta drove in half of the Tigers' runs in a 6-5 win.

"He's been terrific, he really has. Like I said, he's been an old shoe. Very comfortable for a manager. He has a routine he goes through every day, like clockwork. He's really a good player," manager Jim Leyland said.

"A lot of guys are going to fly under the radar -- and rightfully so, don't get me wrong -- when you've got a Miguel Cabrera and a Prince Fielder. Guys are going to fly under the radar. But this guy's a really good player."

Peralta has hit safely in 34 of his last 39 games, hitting .364 in that span. He leads all American League shortstops with a .341 batting average, 60 hits, and an on-base percentage of .392, and ranks second in runs (25), RBI (24), home runs (five). He's also tops in slugging percentage (.392), on-base plus slugging (.892) and wins above replacement (1.9).

"He's swinging a magic wand right now. He can poke the bat out, and get a hit. He can swing hard and get a hit. It's a lot of fun to play the game like that. Jhonny Peralta has been doing it for years, and he's been coming up big for us, all season. I don't think it's nothing new, and I think it's going to keep going," teammate Torii Hunter said. "And I think he's hungry. We like that."

The Pirates (31-20), who came in 16-7 in the month of May, having won 13 of 16, are just as hungry. They're off to their best 50-game start since 1991, Leyland's sixth year at the helm in Pittsburgh.

It showed early.

Neil Walker battled Tigers starter Justin Verlander in an eight-pitch at-bat in the first inning, finally squaring up a 91 mph four-seam fastball, and driving it to the base of the wall in center field. Andrew McCutchen sent the next pitch high down the right-field line, where Torii Hunter made the catch, halted his momentum and spun to throw home.

The throw was surprisingly close, nearly nabbing Walker at the plate, trying to score from third, but the Pirates had a 1-0 lead that held up through the first three innings.

The Tigers got Verlander a bit of run support with three straight singles to start the fourth inning, tying it at 1-1 on Peralta's RBI single to left field.

They'd add three more with a two-out rally in the fifth inning, two runs scoring on Victor Martinez's double laced down the third-base line that kicked off the stands and into left field. Peralta drove in another by punching a double down the right-field line, away from the shifted-over defense.

Pittsburgh got two runs back in the seventh on a two-out RBI triple by Travis Snider, followed by a Walker double, but Verlander would strand the potential tying run at second base with a strikeout of McCutchen.

It was Verlander's fifth career game of 13 or more strikeouts, and moved his record to 20-2 in interleague contests.

Detroit would re-establish the three-run lead with a pair runs in the seventh, the first on an RBI single by Peralta, the second on Brayan Pena's bases-loaded walk, then give that cushion right back in the eighth.

The Pirates got two runs on two doubles and an error, but Joaquin Benoit picked the potential tying run off second -- his first career pickoff in 800-plus innings -- and struck out Brandon Inge looking to end the inning.

Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

It's the first time since joining the Tigers that Peralta has had a game of four-or-more hits and three-or-more RBI. He did it three times with the Cleveland Indians.

But the special moment was at 3 p.m., when the game stopped for the National Moment of Silence.

"That was awesome. That has never happened in my career, where everybody stopped play. There was two outs, and the pitcher's on the mound, the catcher's on the mound at 3 o'clock," Torii Hunter said. "Really supported those who have fallen.

"And, you know, this is our country, man. People fight for our country, out there laying their lives on the line. My dad was a Vietnam vet. We really appreciate all they do for us."

Catcher Brayan Pena, who became an American citizen in 2009, 10 years after defecting from his native Cuba, concurred with the sentiment.

"I think better than (the win) was the 3 o'clock tribute to our troops, you know? Because those guys, they really deserve that," Pena said. "Those guys, they are the true heroes, you know?"

Impemba's 'MVP' program starts on Memorial Day

The color commentator for the Detroit Tigers television broadcasts on Fox Sports Detroit, Rod Allen, has his own distinctive way of recognizing people for their deeds, giving them a hearty "I see ya" on the air.

His broadcast partner has a more understated way of thanking people, a more substantive salute.

Mario Impemba, the TV play-by-play voice of the Tigers, on Monday kicked off his second initiative aimed at saluting veterans and active service members of the U.S. military.

"It's important to recognize the contributions our veterans have made, including those from earlier conflicts," Impemba said in a release. "During our visits with veterans, I have learned that so many love the Tigers and baseball. This is a great way to give them an opportunity to enjoy a game at the ballpark and let them know how much we appreciate their service."

In addition to his five-year-old Operation Opening Day, which provides a DVD of the home opener to active members of the Armed Forces, Impemba has added Military Veteran's Program (or MVP) to help veterans who serviced in earlier eras enjoy home games at Comerica Park.

Starting with Monday's Memorial Day matinee, and running every Monday home game through the rest of the season, 20 tickets will be distributed to members of local veteran organizations. The package includes a ticket, a ride to the park on the FSD Fan Express, a T-shirt and an autographed photo of Impemba.

"When I made a visit to the VA Hospital a lot of the older veterans talked about how they love to come to games, but they couldn't afford it," Impemba told MLB.com. "We don't think about the older guys as much. The people that came back from Vietnam -- they went through a lot and we have to take care of them too."